Wife of former UNC coach criticizes Wainstein report

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Chapel Hill, N.C. — Marcia Mount Shoop’s husband, John Shoop, was the Tar Heels offensive coordinator under Butch Davis from 2007 to 2011, during the midst of the academic fraud scandal.

She said Tuesday that she sat in during her husband's interview for the Wainstein report, a 131-page document that details an independent investigation into the scandal that has rocked the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Mount Shoop – a theologian who has written a book on the culture of big-time sports – said the report is not comprehensive and that her husband’s testimony was “highly redacted.”

She said the investigators should have interviewed more people and delved into the issue of race and privilege.

“There were cases and conditions that give rise to the existence of those classes,” she said, referring to the no-show paper classes that many student athletes were funneled into so they could earn a high grade and stay eligible to play.

She said the problem stems from the NCAA's system of eligibility.

“It's not just that athlete trying to cut corners. There are a lot of people invested,” Mount Shoop said. “So then, it's more than just about grades. It's about dollars. It's about revenue. It's about protecting your investment.”

Mount Shoop said it's time to stop treating revenue-producing athletes differently than other students.

“You’re asking us to deny them their due process rights,” she said. “You’re asking us to deny them the right to benefit from their labor.”

Mount Shoop said she doesn’t have an ax to grind with the school because of what happened to her husband.

“Getting fired is a part of football,” she said. “My issue is not that they fired my husband; my issue is how they treated the players.”

Mount Shoop said her husband, now the offensive coordinator at Purdue University, shares her views.

“I’m speaking up and John is speaking up because we believe it’s the right thing to do,” she said.

Justice is comingOct 29, 2014

View quoted thread

“I’m speaking up and John is speaking up because we believe it’s the right thing to do,” she said.

It’s funny how people finally start speaking out once they know they have been busted. I agree that this issue needed to be raised and dealt with properly. But if you believe it is the right thing to do then why didn’t this coach and his wife speak of this issue back during his coaching time at UNC? Simply put, it was not an issue as long as UNC was profiting from it. Once the national news reported on paper classes at UNC, speaking up became the right thing to do. That is why this has drug out for 4 years. Only very few people wanted to be honest and try to say what was going on over at UNC.

— Posted by Sac Fly RBI

BAM! You nailed it!

HarvoOct 29, 2014

anothersoreloser

bisenhowerOct 29, 2014

Blah, Blah, Blah !! You got caught !! Live with it !!!!!!!!!!

CherryDarlingOct 29, 2014

"The problem stems from the NCAA's system of eligibility?" Really? --- You're just trying to salvage what little dignity is left for your husband. Anyone who was knowingly involved in this is guilty and, at this point, needs to own up to it. The real victims in this are the students who were deserving of the opportunity to get a REAL education at UNC. Then again, it's all about sports and money out there, so who really cares...

Packgrad1974Oct 29, 2014

I will be happy when they investigate my State team and that K character over in Durham who keeps getting a pass on his scandals.

Carol SmithOct 29, 2014

Yes, there are still people at the top who are not being held accountable. Williams and Cunningham are two of them.

mike honchoOct 29, 2014

View quoted thread

“I’m speaking up and John is speaking up because we believe it’s the right thing to do,” she said.

It’s funny how people finally start speaking out once they know they have been busted. I agree that this issue needed to be raised and dealt with properly. But if you believe it is the right thing to do then why didn’t this coach and his wife speak of this issue back during his coaching time at UNC? Simply put, it was not an issue as long as UNC was profiting from it. Once the national news reported on paper classes at UNC, speaking up became the right thing to do. That is why this has drug out for 4 years. Only very few people wanted to be honest and try to say what was going on over at UNC.

— Posted by Sac Fly RBI

Well said.

tranOct 29, 2014

She's right about it being all about money.

jjackflashOct 29, 2014

Kudos to WRAL for not promoting her book by title & showing us all a 5-second screen shot of it.

Sadly, tomorrow you will be called out onto the carpet by Ms. Shoop for not having promoted her book & for not having shown us a 5-second screen shot of it.

nobodyknow420Oct 29, 2014

this is laughable. as a former student athlete...no one forced these kids to take easy classes.